Apple announces iTunes 8, new iPods

Steve Jobs took the stage at Apple’s music event today in San Francisco to announce a handful of new products, including new and updated iPod nanos, touch and classic. As expected, the new iPod nano will be the thinnest model ever made by Apple, boasting a longer body and curved display similar to those pictures that have leaked out across gadget blogs over the past few days.

Besides a new voice recording function and an updated interface, the new nano incorporates the same accelerometer included in the iPhone and the iPod Touch – meaning it’ll know when you turn it on its side and you can also shake it up to shuffle songs. Available in a rainbow of new colors, an 8GB version will be $149 while the 16GB model will set you back $199.

The iPod touch also received an update to cut back on size and scale up on power. The new model offers integrated volume controls and an integrated speaker along with access to the App Store to further position the device as a handheld gaming platform. The new touch will run $229 for the 8GB, $299 for the 16GB, and $399 for the 32GB model.

Apple also overhauled its iTunes application, bringing it to version 8. The updated program introduces a “Genius” feature that groups similar songs together into playlists and also marks the return of NBC content to the platform. Aside from all these major upgrades, Apple also announced the iPhone Software 2.1 and revealed an update to the iPod classic line, removing both the 80GB and 160GB models and replacing them with a single 120GB model which will sell for $249.